Hokage of Youth!
by PartHistory
Summary: Might Guy is nominated to be the Fifth Hokage! Shikaku plans to stall so Jiraiya can bring back Tsunade, but Kakashi takes it a bit too far. And then he thinks, 'Well, why shouldn't he be Hokage' A story of friendship, perseverance, Love, and other youthful things! Hokage Gai/Anko.
1. Chapter 1: Not According to Plan

Title: Hokage of Youth

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from Naruto.

**Author's note: My other story isn't getting a lot of traffic, so I decided to start this story for a bit of good fun. I update frequently. This is basically what might have happened if Itachi and Kisame showed up a little later.**

Chapter 1: Not According to Plan

An assembly of the Land of Fire's most powerful and influential members were gathered in an ordinary room located in the Hokage Tower. Indeed, the room might be too boring to be the location of such an important meeting. An everyday room, with a long, square table seating 11 people. On one end with no one sitting opposite to him, the Fire Daimyo sat on a garish chair. It was made even more noticeable by the complete lack of embellishment throughout the rest of the room.

Aside from the daimyo, assembled together, there were 5 of the Daimyo's council, and 5 of the leaf villages most influential people. The 2 Members of the Konoha Council, the Jōnin Commander, and a member of the Anbu Black Ops. This time however, there was 1 more attendant than usual; Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja, who was brought in by special request of the attending jōnin Commander, Shikaku Nara.

The Daimyo gave a dramatic sigh, "I can't believe the Sannin, Jiraiya rejected the position of Hokage."

One of Konoha's esteemed council, Homura Mitokado, responded with, "There is no need to worry. Lord Jiraiya has assured me personally that he will find Tsunade of the Sannin and convince her to take the mantle. All we must do is elect her, and I am sure that the jōnin will accept her as well. Please forgive us for wasting your time like this, Daimyo-sama."

"Tsunade?" He fanned himself absent-mindedly, "You say 'there is no need to worry,' but isn't she the gambling-addicted alcoholic Sannin with severe trauma? That doesn't exactly scream 'leader material' to me. If we inaugurate someone like her, we'll seem desperate; after all, the things I said are common knowledge. Besides, she left the village. Who's to say she would come back?"

Homura flinched at the ruthless, but undoubtably true, assessment. "Well…that is true, but I am sure that she has many fine qualities that befit a leader. I'm afraid we don't have any other strong candidates." He was obviously struggling to overcome the evaluation of Tsunade's qualities.

Shikaku Nara sat back in his seat, fighting a smirk. One does not reach his rank without planning ahead. This is exactly why he brought Kakashi. If they could pinpoint a candidate that seemed plausible to elect, but would never be elected by the jōnin who knew him, they could buy a good deal of time while Jiraiya convinced his old teammate.

The Daimyo looked in Shikaku's direction. "So, I'm rather curious as to why you brought an ordinary jōnin to a meeting like this, Shikaku-san."

"Well, my friend here is the renown Kakashi Hatake. An elite shinobi, and a strong candidate for Hokage. I would say that his voice holds a lot of weight. Wouldn't you, Daimyo-sama?"

"I don't care to hear him promote himself to me, but I suppose it's not against any rules."

Kakashi began speaking for the first time, "I am afraid you misunderstand, Daimyo-sama. I have no personal interest in the seat of Hokage."

"Hmm?"

"Actually, Shikaku-san and I suspected we might end in a stalemate like this one. I am here to nominate someone."

The Konoha Council looked somewhere between angry and surprised. They obviously did not like to be surprised. The Fire Daimyo closed his fan and examined Kakashi carefully, "Nothing you've done has been against the rules, but this Is certainly unusual. Tell me, why exactly can Shikaku-san not nominate this person himself?"

Shikaku crossed his fingers, "The thing is, Kakashi here is a close friend of the nominee in question. He also spars with him on a regular basis. That's why I think he is the only one who can do this great man justice." He felt himself wince internally. _'I might have oversold it a bit.' _

But the Daimyo had bought it completely. "So, who is this mystery person, exactly?"

Kakashi made his best faux serious face, not that anyone could see it all that well, and said, "The Leaf Village's own, Might Guy."

The Konoha Council looked shocked for but a moment, before they schooled their features. They had begun to understand Shikaku's underhanded tactic. Koharu Utatane, the other member of the Konoha Council, cleared her throat. "Yes, that seems to be a good idea. He is a very…passionate man." The compliment did not come easy to her.

The Daimyo sat forward with apparent interest, "Might Guy? I've heard his name before! He's a great jōnin, no? Reaching the level of Jōnin indicates not only skill, but a penchant to lead. Let alone, to be among the most famous and powerful of such prestigious people." He leaned back again and nodded to himself, "I see. But I thought he had no interest in the position? Otherwise, why wouldn't his name have come up by now?"

Kakashi was prepared for this line of questioning, and he sincerely hoped his bluffing skills hadn't waned. "He is very modest. He thought that if Lord Jiraiya was in the running, there would be no need to have himself nominated. I wanted to respect his feelings, however…I firmly believe that not only is he Hokage material, he actually far outstrips the Sannin themselves in terms of eligibility!"

The Daimyo looked rather suspicious, "And how exactly do you plan to back such a claim? I will give you ample time to make a case for this man. Try not to waste it."

"Thank you, Daimyo-sama. Well then, in terms of combat skill, he leaves all of them in the dust! I would say that at full strength, he exceeds all the previous Hokage! And we should also consider how Might Guy is a more capable leader than any Sannin. Orochimaru is out for obvious reasons, but Lord Jiraiya doesn't even care to be a leader; he lacks any passion. Tsunade, as you pointed out, is a gambling maniac, as well as a drunkard. Are these really the people we should give power equal to yours?"

Shikaku kicked him under the table and whispered, _"Kakashi, you're overselling it! Reel it in! We aren't supposed to make Tsunade look bad."_

"You have to be kidding. To think the legendary Sannin would be so untrustworthy." The Daimyo shook his head in disappointment. "And I hear no disagreement. Is everything being said true? So, I suppose he has the passion to lead; is that what you're saying?"

"Guy is the most passionate person I've ever met. You can ask anyone in the leaf village to confirm that." Every leaf ninja at the table nodded in unison. "I bet he would see improving the village as a challenge that he would gladly take on. His heart is so big that he took on a student that couldn't use ninjutsu and made him one of our most promising prospective shinobi. In fact, his entire genin squad is full of promise. Both of these things speak not only to his kind spirit, but to his leadership."

Shikaku was impressed, _'Man. He's making Gai-san sound really good; maybe too good. I might feel disappointed when Jiraiya retrieves Tsunade.'_

The Daimyo seemed to be taking Kakashi's words to heart. "I see, I see. But there is one quality that the Lord Third once said was vital to being Hokage; darkness. Does he have that quality as well?"

"He does," Kakashi said in a tone so genuine, it surprised Shikaku. "Despite his kindness and generosity, he fought in the Third Shinobi World War. He is no stranger to death; even his own father was killed in front of his very eyes. Despite this, he holds no grudge against the village responsible. He even saved me when my father died, showing a great deal of empathy and wisdom in the process."

Everyone's silence was broken when the Daimyo clapped his hands. "Very good! You've convinced me. Does anyone have anything else to say?" The Fire Daimyo allowed a short pause, "In that case, I hereby nominate Might Guy of Konoha to be the next Hokage. Should the Jōnin of Konoha agree, he will become the Fifth Hokage!"

After the meeting had disbanded, Kakashi had stopped short of leaving the building when he spotted Shikaku leaning against the wall. "Shikaku-san…"

"So, that was quite the little speech you gave in Guy's favor." He looked at him sharply. "I told you I wasn't looking to make him out to be a strong candidate. We needed him to be elected in the absence of other choices. The way you talked him up, we're going to have to defend Tsunade in the next election."

Kakashi rubbed his neck sheepishly, "Yeah. The thing is, part way through talking him up, a thought occurred to me. 'Why wouldn't he be Hokage?' I guess I'm taking his nomination seriously now."

"Come on, man. You know better than anyone that he's not cut out for this. He isn't the most intelligent person we could pick; you know?"

"I take issue with that, Shikaku-san. He's not as foolish as he comes off. Besides, if the Raikage can run a village, I can't see why Guy wouldn't be able to."

Shikaku narrowed his eyes, "So then, you're serious about this? What a pain…"

Kakashi walked past him to leave the building, but he was stopped when Shikaku said, "I won't vote against him personally, because I trust your judgement. Even with my support, I don't think his chances of winning are particularly high."

"Thanks." Without saying anything else or looking back, Kakashi continued walking.

**Author's Note: Don't forget to leave a review! Anything from harsh criticism to a "nice!" is welcome. **


	2. Chapter 2: A Truly Youthful Challenge

Title: Hokage of Youth

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from Naruto.

Author's note: These chapters are short, but I spend a lot of time on them. Keep a lookout for my one-shot ficlet this weekend about Itachi's death.

Chapter 2: A Truly Youthful Challenge

For someone to be officially chosen as Hokage, a board of jōnin had to agree with the Fire Daimyo's decision. In theory, this prevents any bad candidates from being chosen out of ignorance. Kakashi had made it his mission to convince the jōnin of the village that Guy was a great candidate; it had been a long, hard-fought battle.

Asuma Sarutobi stood as the gathered jōnin remained seated. "I really can't believe I'm saying this," he muttered, then continued more officiously, "The jōnin of Konoha gathered here have heard the impassioned arguments of Kakashi Hatake in favor of the jōnin, Might Guy." He resisted the urge to reach for his cigarettes after such a long meeting. "We here have decided-" He scrunched his face up, unable to believe what had just happened, "-to accept the nomination of Might Guy."

The room fell silent. Kakashi had made an amazing case, but they weren't sure that they had made the correct call. Giving the village to someone who did not have the intelligence to manage the position of Hokage would be a disaster. But having the support of a candidate like Kakashi, and the Jōnin Commander himself, held an enormous amount of weight. Many had voted in favor of Guy simply because they thought they had no choice. A Hokage was sorely needed, and continuing to elect candidates, only to fail to inaugurate them, might start to make them look weak; as though they were running out of options.

"This meeting is over. Nothing about this election has been ideal. Typically, this process is a lot longer, and people know who the candidates are long beforehand. Still, I'm sure that we made a good decision today. Make of that what you will." He left the room as the jōnin began standing, all of them unsure of what to think.

As Asuma left the building, he pulled a cigarette from his pack and put in his mouth. 'It's about damn time.' He stopped reaching for his lighter when he realized who was waiting on a nearby balcony, looking at him expectantly. He rubbed the back of his head and let out a short breath before using the Body Flicker technique to appear on the balcony at an impressive speed.

"Show-off," Kakashi joked lightly.

"You're so nosy. Seriously, why are you this invested. You aren't one to get so involved in politics."

"Oh, you know, I think it's important to make a difference and all that."

"You're sincere enough to be a politician yourself; no wonder you were a candidate," he remarked in a dry tone. "So, I'll cut to the chase if that's okay."

"Personally, I look forward to our little talks. Whatever you want, Asuma."

He rolled his eyes, "You're such a pain. To be honest, I didn't take you seriously when you said that Might Guy was chosen to be our next leader. Well, I'm sure you knew that." He noted that despite Kakashi's laidback disposition, there was an impatience to the way he stood there. Asuma took a few seconds to pull his lighter out and light the cigarette still in his mouth. "Somehow, Might Guy was just accepted officially by a council of jōnin. I never thought I'd see the day, but as long as he accepts the position, he will be the next Hokage of Konoha."

Kakashi couldn't help his look of shock; he had never expected the jōnin to agree with the nomination. "Is that right…?"

Asuma took a drag of his cigarette and watched the smoke he blew into the air. "I knew him since we were kids, so I'm sure he can do this. He's a lot smarter than most people think. Still, what's going to happen next? I really can't imagine…"

"He's…quite the character, huh? I pushed for this harder than anyone, and even I'll admit that this is a gamble. I was hoping that as a serious candidate, he would at least garner some well-deserved respect. But instead, he actually won."

"I guess they are pretty desperate. Do you think Tsunade will really come back? If she does, would she be willing to put her all into being Hokage? It isn't so easy for people to change who they are overnight. I can't even imagine what Jiraiya-sama is planning to say to her." He flicked the ash off his cigarette. "That's how most of the people in that meeting felt. At least, that's what I think."

"Hmm. Well, thanks for the info. It's time for me to get going." He pulled out a book with his right hand and was about to leave when he stopped. "Oh, right. Congratulations. Kurenai is a good friend, so don't hurt her feelings, okay?" he said, then immediately disappeared in a plume of smoke.

Asuma tried to control his blush. "How the hell did he know about that…? Wait, I forgot to tell him about Guy's challenge…Tch. Oh well."

* * *

To most people he would have seemed to be absent-mindedly reading, however Kakashi had been walking down the street, pondering recent events for quite some time. He stopped when he noticed a familiar presence that, remarkably, was not launching a flashy attack.

"Kakashi!" A booming voice cried as a green shape rolled across the ground at spectacular speeds. Kakashi simply side-stepped casually as the shape rammed a tree. Unfurling into a youthful pose, Might Guy ignored his bleeding head. "I've heard all about your plan, my rival! It won't work!"

_'So then, it's a typical day after all. If I don't say anything, he'll explain what in the world is going on.'_

"Hmph! So, you don't deny it. To think you would be gunning for the Hokage seat after all these years…" He shook his head with a growing smile. "However, I too will aim for the hat, Kakashi! If my eternal rival is trying to achieve something, it's my duty to match them!" He flashed a bright smile and gave a thumbs-up.

"How did you even…?" Kakashi cleared his throat and began wondering if not explaining would be funnier. "I suppose you finally saw through me, Guy. I just can't slip anything past you." Anyone else probably would have caught the deadpan sarcasm, but Guy was convinced that his "eternal rival" was trying to get the jump on him again. Although, to be fair, Kakashi hadn't been out to challenge him the other times either.

"Oh, Kakashi. A cunning rival, as always. I'm touched that you would take our rivalry this seriously!" He clenched his fist in front of him as manly tears began falling down his face. "You'll see, Kakashi! I'll convince everyone that I am Hokage material! If I don't…let's see…What self-imposed rule is appropriate for a challenge of this scale?"

_ 'Geez. Another 'self-imposed rule.'_ Kakashi cleared his throat. "That aside, how did you discover my dastardly plan?"

Guy began rubbing his chin in contemplation. "Well, I heard a peculiar rumor not long ago. That you were promoting a jōnin that you thought should be Hokage over the Sannin themselves. I was shocked so I went to see my good pal, Asuma…"

_"Guy?"_

_ "Asuma! I hear Kakashi is trying to have a jōnin nominated for Hokage. Is it true?"_

_ "You heard, eh? Yeah, it's true. You know who it is, right?"_

_ "I have a hunch. To think Kakashi would go so far for my sake…" He was beginning to tear up._

_ "Yeah. You're eternal rivals, after all." He couldn't keep the genuine smile off his face if he tried. He'd never seen such good friends, as strange as their friendship was._

_ "Then, if Kakashi is aiming for Hokage, I too shall aim for the stars!"_

_ "Huh…?"_

_ "HAHHHHH, this'll be our most youthful contest yet! If I can't find him while rolling, I'll do 100 laps around the village on my hands!" He leapt forward and began rolling forward in a ball at incredible speed, kicking up dust clouds in the process._

_ "Hey!" Asuma rubbed the back of his neck and let out a long sigh. "Unbelievable."_

"Unbelievable," Kakashi muttered.

"Ah! I know a good penalty. If I don't become Hokage, I'll find a way to double my current speed by the end of the year!"

"You'll be an outstanding Hokage, Guy. Good luck."

Guy looked surprised, "Kakashi…There is only one way to decide who would be the best Hokage!" He flashed another smile paired with a pose.

"Oh?"

"This'll be the most youthful challenge we've had yet! For the next few days, we will compete in a variety of challenges. Whoever takes the win is the one with the most willpower!"

"Alright then."

* * *

Over the next few days, the challenges increased in difficulty and ridiculousness.

_ The Cooking Challenge:_

Kakashi and Guy were found in the Konoha Forest cooking massive animals over a fire. Their good friend, Chōza Akimichi, couldn't make it, so Tenten was the judge of this round. All of Team Guy showed up to see this legendary battle. Guy's cooking was, "surprisingly good." However, Kakashi's cooking was strangely incredible. They cooked all manner of strange and terrifying creatures. Kakashi drew the line at cooking the giant bears. Kakashi won.

_The Super Death Course:_

It was named after the Forest it took place in, The Forest of Death; it was pretty lethal though. Guy called one particular phase of the race the "Revenge of the Giant Bears." Purportedly, it disturbed him that Kakashi's refusal to cook said bears caused the name to make no sense. After dodging the "10,000 Kunai Rain" provided by Tenten slightly faster than Kakashi, Guy won by a hair.

_The Pose Challenge:_

Kakashi would rather no one talk about this challenge. Ever. Kakashi won.

_Man of the People Challenge:_

A popularity poll was taken after the two men spent an entire day trying to get people to like them. It turned out that Kakashi has a bad reputation. He briefly considered not reading smut in public as a result of the landslide loss. Guy won.

_The Tiebreaker Challenge:_

The most serious Rock-Paper-Scissors game these two have ever played. The Sharingan was used, the gates were used, and Neji Hyūga was quoted to have said, "What a ridiculous waste of time." Guy won.

"So, my eternal rival, I won our match yet again! I believe this puts me even further in the lead."

"You got me. Still, I thought the whole challenge was to become Hokage? What's with all these crazy side-challenges?"

Guy looked uncharacteristically somber as he put his hands on his own waist. "That's because…if one of us becomes the next Hokage, we won't have the time to mess around like this anymore."

Much to Guy's surprise, Kakashi punched his shoulder lightly. "It won't matter. Hokage or not, we'll still be eternal rivals," said Kakashi, with equally uncharacteristic sincerity. "And, as eternal rivals, it's only natural that we have crazy matches like this one, right? Well, maybe not this crazy."

Guy began tearing up again. "Kakashi!" He gripped him in a bear hug.

"AH! I got it! Come on."

Asuma looked on with smile, perched on a nearby tree branch. _'I suppose it all turned out okay. His official inauguration will be really soon.'_ His smile dropped. _'They're planning to push for a new Hokage as soon as possible. I just hope you're ready, Guy.'_

**End of Chapter. Hope you enjoyed!**


	3. Chapter 3: A Troubling Start

**Author's Note: All the feedback has been incredible! Thanks to everyone who took the time to leave a review and thank you to everyone who decided to follow/favorite my story. You guys inspire me to keep writing:). **

**Sorry it took so long to write this chapter. Aside from real-life obligations, I've been busy writing another story and being a beta writer. The story I'm editing is shaping up to be something special, so check it out! It's called, "Uzumaki Naruto: Patriarch of Ash." **

s/13292935/1/Uzumaki-Naruto-Patriarch-of-Ash

**The other story I'm writing is on another website called fimfic, which is for mlp stories. Feel free to check that out too if you're interested, though I doubt anyone would be. It's called, "Pinkie Pie, the Stage Magician." **

Chapter 3: A Troubling Start

"In other words, your inauguration will be a public spectacle in 2 days' time," Homura continued, noting Guy's gob-smacked expression. "The celebration, however, will last for several days. By now, the news has already reached the ears of every citizen in Konoha walls." The words were painful to say. If he had any choice in the matter, this fool would be expelled from the village far before he was made Hokage. Such a fool could only hurt their great village.

"…I see." That was all Guy could choke out. He never expected to win the contest between Kakashi and himself.

Homura bowed, "I will make my leave now, Guy-san. Please make sure to show up early at the Hokage Tower in 2 days."

Guy made note of the fact that Homura hadn't used his new title. It wasn't an official title until the inauguration, but he still expected a council member to use it. "Right!" He flashed a thumbs-up that seemed rather forced.

Might Guy didn't even notice Homura leaving. He was far too wrapped up in his own thoughts. He wasn't nearly as stupid as many people thought. Very few people ever took him seriously, so how did manage to become the Fifth Hokage? Might Guy a bright smile and clenched his right fist, "All right! This must be the blinding power of my youth!" His youth was now taking him to places he could have never imagined. "I will be the most splendid Hokage!"

Homura shook his head while he descended the stairs, "That jester sure bounces back quickly. We might have to work with Danzo again before that man ruins everything…"

* * *

The air was jovial as a large crowd of civilians and shinobi were gathered in front of a stage in front of the Hokage Tower. It seemed like the whole village gathered to see their new Hokage. Perhaps it was only natural. After all, the inauguration of the new Hokage was one of the most important events in Konoha. Everyone would see the leader that was chosen to bring Konoha to new heights. A massive crowd stood with anticipation, dressed in white. The thoroughfares were adorned with festive streamers and flags. The entire street leading to the academy was lined with market stalls.

On the Academy rooftop, a group of jōnin, also dressed in white, were gathered in preparation for the ceremony. Among them were the only 2 remaining members of the Konoha Council, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane. Danzo Shimura, Kakashi Hatake, and Shikaku Nara were all present as well. And, it was only natural to see the next Hokage himself, Might Guy, proudly standing tall after Kakashi convinced him to stop doing one-handed push-ups.

Guy was wearing the ceremonial Hokage haori that Kakashi handed to him, said to be stitched by the same person who stitches all of the Hokages' haori. Kakashi blithely said, "Well, Guy, I guess you're really going to be the Hokage. How does it feel?"

Guy gave a "nice guy" pose, complete with a thumbs-up and a shining smile, "No need to be jealous, Kakashi! The springtime of my youth will lead Konoha to a brilliant new age!"

Kakashi was already looking off to the side nonchalantly, "Hmm? Sorry, I wasn't listening. Isn't it time to start, Shikaku-san?"

Guy grabbed his own head melodramatically, "Ahhh! Kakashi, why are you acting so cool!?"

Shikaku Nara scowled at nothing, feeling discontent with the role that he was given. "I can't believe I have to do this. Such a pain…I guess I'll get it over with." And with that typical Nara complaining out of the way, Shikaku made way to the edge of the rooftop. He had been asked to give a "youthful" speech by his soon-to-be leader. He wiped the foul look off his face and walked forward.

Standing in front of the gathered crowd, Shikaku waited a few moments for the crowd to quiet down. "Citizens of Konoha, due to the untimely demise of our great leader, Sarutobi Hiruzen, I, the Jōnin Commander of the shinobi forces, will be conducting this ceremony. Considering Sandaime-sama's unfortunate departure, our next great leader was chosen by The Fire Daimyo and his council, as well as the fine jōnin of this village." He wanted a break already. Speeches really weren't his thing. "Our next Hokage, Might Guy!"

The sound of applause filled the air as Might Guy, dressed in his Hokage outfit, moved to stand next to Shikaku. The applause died out as the crowd beheld the profile of their esteemed leader. Confused by the negative reaction, Shikaku had to resist the urge to flinch as he looked to the side in confusion, only to see Guy making one of his worst poses yet. His hip was pointed out, one hand was over his only open eye in an "okay" sign, and his other hand was raised high in the air. "My youthful citizens, I promise to bring Konoha to a bright tomorrow!" He finished his promise with by breaking his pose and giving his most passionate thumbs-up yet.

Shikaku and Kakashi could only sigh when a polite applause broke out. Obviously, the civilian enthusiasm had diminished. Might Guy simply waved his arm enthusiastically, seemingly oblivious to the reception he was receiving.

Over the relatively quite applause, it was quite easy to catch the cries of "Guy-sensei!" from none other than Guy's student, Rock Lee. He was waving his free arm ardently as he leaned on Neji's shoulder for support. The first thing that Guy noticed was that his student had a spark of life in his eyes he hadn't seen since his fight with Gaara. He had a large, genuine smile filled with pride and admiration.

Tears began to stream down Guy's face. "Lee!"

"Guy-Sensei!"

"LEE!"

There was an uncomfortable atmosphere as the civilians wondered how this person could have made it to this position. A general atmosphere of discontent had already begun to take root.

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki was finally nearing home; Konoha, the Leaf Village. It felt like forever since he had seen it. And right behind him was Tsunade and her assistant, Shizune. So much happened with that crazy snake guy. But, he did it! He managed to convince granny Tsunade to come back with them. Naruto smiled widely to himself.

"What are you so happy about?" Jiraiya asked with suspicion.

"Come on, Pervy Sage! Now that I convinced granny Tsunade to come back and become Hokage, I'm one step closer to being Hokage myself!"

Jiraiya looked unimpressed. "I told you to stop calling me that! And how do you figure this makes you any closer to Hokage anyway?"

His smile wavered. "Uh, you know…it shows leadership or something."

Jiraiya rolled his eyes, "Whatever you say, kid. We're here. There's the gate now." But, both of them were scratching their heads at what they saw. The streets looked festive, strangely enough. Even stranger, none of the expressions on the people walking around matched the festive atmosphere that the decorations created. Everybody looked…worried? Jiraiya turned in confusion, "Uh, there wouldn't happen to be a new holiday I haven't heard about?"

Naruto shook his head. "Nuh-uh."

Jiraiya stopped a random civilian. "Excuse me. Do you know what's going on with all the decorations?"

The man looked surprised. "You haven't heard? The new Hokage was inaugurated a couple of days ago." Jiraiya's jaw dropped. "There was a ceremony and everything. The celebrations are still going on if you want to join in. The guy is totally nuts though." The man sighed and continued his trek out of the village.

Jiraiya felt a chill as Tsunade grabbed his shoulder with a little too much force, "Hey, Jiraiya, exactly why did that man say a Hokage was inaugurated? You didn't drag me here for nothing, did you?"

He gave an awkward, forced laugh, "I-It's probably a misunderstanding!" His heart nearly stopped when he walked past the gate only to see that they began construction on the Hokage Monument. The giant stone faces of the Hokage watching over their village was the first thing you notice when stepping foot in Konoha.

The ominous sound of knuckles cracking came from behind Jiraiya's back. "You two got me really worked up about being Hokage, you know? This is starting to piss me off."

Jiraiya turned around and held up his hands in a calming motion. "Let's just see what's going on before we do anything hasty."

"Hmph. Well, I'm pretty curious about this new Hokage. Let's go to the Tower."

Jiraiya let out a sigh of relief. Now that his person was out of danger, he was curious himself. It must have taken someone rather amazing to become Hokage so quickly.

But, as they walked down the streets of Konoha, the civilians were nothing but skeptical of their new leader. Jiraiya managed to catch people talking about how weird he was. He even caught several people expressing the sentiment that "someone like that" couldn't protect their village.

* * *

Might Guy was sleeping on his new desk after working hard writing an outline of the things he wanted to do. Paperwork was getting done at a fast rate ever since he decided to apply self-rules to them, but despite how well things were going behind the desk, he was faced with a great problem. The village was not responding well to him.

Guy spent quite a bit of his time the previous day lamenting his situation. How could the village not see his youthful attitude for the boon it was? Shikaku said that he needs to somehow prove his competency. So, after mulling over it for quite some time, he managed to fall asleep on his desk. His snoring permeated the silent air of the Hokage office as he held a big smile.

_Guy's laugh was booming. "Yes, I know. The world peace I brought is making the world more youthful by the second!" He sat in his chair as he looked out the window of Hokage Tower, seeing his citizens wearing the most popular outfit on the market. An incredibly youthful green jump-suit. _

_He turned when he heard the door open. "Papa!" In ran his darling daughter._

_He gave an even bigger smile, only for his blood to freeze as he saw his worst nightmare. His daughter was wearing a face mask. "W-What are you…!"_

_His daughter, with her Hitai-ate covering her eye, gave an eye-smile, "Sorry, it's just that Kakashi is so hip!" _

_Gasping, he turned again, only to see that the entire village had adopted Kakashi's hip and cool attitude. "Nooo!"_

He jolted awake. "What a terrible nightmare! Curse Kakashi and that attitude of his." He then took notice of the only other person in the room. "Shikaku-san."

Shikaku was holding a decent-sized stack of papers. "These pages you wrote, do you really believe that you can pull this off? If you're not careful, some of this crap can start a war,"

Guy stood up proudly and gave a thumbs-up, "Of course I can do it! My youth will carve a way into the future!"

"You know-"

His sentence was interrupted when a knock was heard. Shikaku walked over and opened the door only for a sizeable group to flood in. Guy's jaw dropped. Jiraiya managed to convince Tsunade to come back.

Everyone who came into the room were much more surprised than Guy was. Jiraiya's mouth stayed consistently open as he made noises, possibly intended to be words. Shizune was surprised, having not seen him in years. The last time she checked, he was nobody. The only outward reaction Tsunade had was a raised brow and a look of confusion. Naruto, however, ran forward and pointed his finger shouting, "_You're_ the new Hokage, Bushier Brows Sensei!?"

Before Guy had time to respond, Tsunade drove her fist into the desk, restraining herself enough to prevent it from breaking. "You're who they chose over me, huh?"

In the next moment, Jiraiya was standing beside her reeling in his shock for the moment. "Tsunade-Hime, there's no reason for all this aggression," he said placatingly.

Her eye twitched in irritation. "Don't think I forgot about you. Dragging me here for no damn reason." She looked Guy in the eyes. "We're going to have a match tomorrow morning. I'm not about to hand the title over to someone who can't put up a fight."

Everyone looked at her in shock. Jiraiya, being the first to collect himself, said, "Are you serious…?"

Tsunade never broke her gaze. "I'm dead serious. 8am tomorrow at the Konoha Stadium."

Jiraiya was about to say something when Guy stood up and yelled, "Yosh! Let's have a youthful battle, Tsunade-san!"

Tsunade looked taken aback for a moment. She schooled her features and simply turned around and began walking off. "Shizune, let's go! We're going to let the whole village know about this."

Shizune stood up straight and responded, "Yes, Tsunade-sama!" She bowed towards Guy in respect before she followed after Tsunade's retreating figure.

Naruto ran forward and stopped in front of the desk with a panicked look. "You can't fight her, Bushier Brows Sensei! She's way too strong!"

Guy let out a boisterous laugh and gave an energetic thumbs-up. "Don't worry, Naruto! I bet Tsunade-san is just trying to help. Either way, I'm confident I can live up to her standards!"

Naruto was letting doubt radiate off him, and Jiraiya couldn't blame him. Still, it was rather strange of her. She might be short-tempered, but this was ridiculous.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Jiraiya groaned and prepared himself to talk Tsunade out of this madness before she riled up the populace. As he made to leave, he noticed Shikaku was standing near the doorway looking directly at him. "Shikaku-san, I suppose you want to talk with her too?"

Shikaku smirked. "As to be expected from a Sanin. I might have one or two questions."

Jiraiya nodded and followed after Tsunade with Shikaku trailing behind him.

**Author's Note: Feels good to get back to my longer chapters. I'm finally getting to the fun part. I happen to think I write decent battle scenes. I hope you enjoyed!**


	4. Chapter 4: A Youthful Prelude

**Author's Note: If you're wondering, I have had a VERY tumultuous year, to say the least. I really wanted to get back to writing and I think at least a few people would be excited to get a new chapter out of this story if my reviews are to be believed. I hope you enjoy the longest chapter yet! Tsunade's real goals, the first real battle, and more!**

Chapter 4:

Through the awkward air of the Hokage office sipping could be heard as Shikaku was trying to stay awake at the ungodly hour he himself decided a meeting would take place. Not an official meeting, but a meeting between himself and Might Guy to discuss a certain issue.

"You know what a double bind is, right?" Shikaku asked.

"That's how we're going to start this conversation?" Guy wondered.

"Right, sorry. How was your morning?" he replied sardonically.

"That's not really what I meant…"

"Look," Shikaku said, "I'm not used to doing things this early. Can't we just cut to the chase?"

"Sure. A double bind is one of those unwinnable things, right?"

He nodded. "Double bind, a no-win situation. That's the very dilemma you find yourself faced with."

Guy nodded in return before pausing and letting the confusion show on his face.

"Wait, what are we talking about…?"

"Right…I guess I got a little ahead of myself. I am saying that Tsunade has put you in a situation that cannot be salvaged."

"Huh? But she wouldn't make a mistake like that."

He shook his head solemnly. "It's intentional, I'm sure of that."

Guy did not know what to think. "So, what, she's trying to become Hokage or something?"

"No, she doesn't strike me as the power-hungry type any more than she strikes as stupid enough to make that careless of a mistake. She made a show of making it all seem spontaneous, but she only does crazy stuff without thinking when she's especially drunk."

"So…It was calculated, but not for power? What was it for?"

Shikaku shifted back in his chair. "That is the big question, isn't it? If you ask me, it is actually a very simple motivation. She was honest about not trusting you as Hokage. In other words, she's out to answer a single question." Guy gulped and leaned forward as Shikaku met his eyes. "What will Might Guy do when faced with an impossible scenario?"

Guy blinked a couple of times, face blank. "That's it?"

"It's simple, but important. Your answer to an impossible situation says a lot about your character. That is how Lord Second chose his successor. I suppose if she's going to give up her chance at being Hokage she has to hear your answer to the question she poses. I'm sure the more intelligent people watching will be waiting with bated breath to evaluate you for your choice."

"Hmm. How is it a no-win situation anyway? I thought she was trying to make me look good…"

"Just think about," Shikaku said as though it were obvious. Unlike most people, it probably was obvious to him. "If you win, you satisfy some people who thought you were too weak and maybe people who thought you were soft. On the other hand, some of the people will think you prideful. I don't know that the costs would outweigh the benefits, but it certainly wouldn't be a victory."

He never even considered that. "What about if I lose?"

"People will think you're weak. Worst-case scenario, a movement starts to have you deposed and Tsunade instated as the 'real' Fifth Hokage. Best-case, the opinion of the masses isn't swayed heavily by the event and your legitimacy is only questioned behind closed doors, mostly."

Guy groaned. "That sounds even worse!"

He rubbed his temple like he was trying to physically supplant an idea in his head as Shikaku drank the last of his coffee. He eventually lowered his hands as Shikaku nearly fell asleep in his chair.

"I know!" he shouted, startling Shikaku. "What if I refuse to fight at all?"

Shikaku smiled for the first time. "Well, sometimes the obvious answers are both wrong. You should think outside the box once and a while. If you cannot afford to win or lose, what can you do?"

"So, that's the right answer?"

He shook his head. "There is no right answer. Different people will want different things, and sometimes the right thing is what the minority of people want. It's a balancing act. A real leader listens to advice and knows how to sway people's hearts."

"I see," Guy said. "What answer would you chose then?"

Shikaku laughed shortly. "A good question, but a leader also inspires loyalty. I'm afraid I want to see your answer as well. Although, I will tell you that you haven't come up with the solution I have yet."

Guy was mystified. "How's that possible? Win, lose, or don't play; What other option is there?"

"I've said too much already," he lamented. "This isn't even why I came here."

'_Ugh. I feel exhausted all of a sudden,' _Guy thought._ 'I feel like I've been doing a really hard crossword puzzle.'_

"What's that look for?" Shikaku asked humorously. "I promise this isn't as nerve-wracking. I just wanted to tell you that Anko Mitarashi is going to seek you out today."

A relieved smile crossed his face at that news. "Aw, that's it? I haven't spoken with her in years! Actually…why would you know that?"

Shikaku gave a cryptic smile. "Well, that's just a hunch really. She's finicky so I decided to help you win her over."

To his confusion Guy's face lit up bright red. "Ah, well I'm the Hokage now! I don't really- That is, I'm not…"

"That's not what I meant," Shikaku cut in. "Win her over as Hokage."

The blush left his face and he cleared his throat. "Of course, that's what you meant! What else could you mean?"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Shikaku said, "I'll just leave you with a couple of clues. One, Anko was the leader of an Anbu investigation during the Chūnin Exams despite being below Jōnin rank. Two, the Hokage has access to the records of its Shinobi; I would recommend using them. You might find something interesting about her missions."

"Please tell me you aren't this ambiguous all the time," Guy groaned.

He smiled slightly. "I'm too old to change my personality on a dime. I gave you all this information for free and even woke up early to do it. That was for your convenience, by the way. Combing through records is time-consuming."

Guy leaned in his Hokage chair and wondered aloud. "Why are you going through so much trouble, telling me about all this?"

He scratched his beard. "I guess you could say I'm rooting for you. Not that I have particularly high expectations…is what I would have said. Something about this conversation has convinced me. You aren't quite the fool you come across as, at least not where it counts. I guess I ended up saying more than I meant to because there is a certain quality about you. I'm more interested than ever to see your answer, Guy."

He stood and began making his way out of the room but paused at the doorway. "Anko is invaluable. Try to get along with her."

He left the room and let the door shut behind him.

* * *

Anko Mitarashi sipped her drink with feigned disinterest, looking to the door of the dango shop thinking of way to exit the awkward situation she found herself in.

"You're acting like a child," Kurenai admonished. Usually such admonishment would be met with a death glare, but Kurenai happened to be her best and only friend.

"Where's all this comin' from?" Anko wondered aloud.

"I…I don't have the skills that my student needs." It seemed painful for her to admit as much. "She has no affinity for Genjutsu, and none of my other skills are suited to her either. She has no confidence and none of my methods ever changed that. It's a gamble but I ask you to consider teaching Hinata."

The bow that proceeded made her extra uncomfortable. When had anyone ever bowed to her for anything? "Is your plan to make me feel awkward enough to accept?" When Kurenai raised her head with a sheepish look she continued. "This is totally out of nowhere. Last I remember, she got her butt whooped in the exams. She didn't even make it to my portion."

"You noticed?" Kurenai asked surprised.

"I wouldn't ignore your proud pupil." She had just said that pupil was 'whooped,' but Kurenai knew her well enough to accept her more blunt tendencies. "Is that where this is coming from? Did she feel like getting stronger because she lost?"

"It's nothing like that." Kurenai sighed. "It's because of Guy. You know he's Hokage, right?"

Wondering how this could possibly loop back to him Anko said, "Of course I know about our new youthful leader. I can't take a walk these days without hearing someone bitch and moan. It's becoming a serious pain in my ass."

"Well, she asked me how he managed to become Hokage. She must have thought if he could do it Naruto could, or something like that…"

"Your information-gathering skills leave much to be desired."

"That's more your department anyway," Kurenai quipped. "I know you're always busy. Please, at least consider it."

"Does it have to be me of all people? I feel like she'll topple over if I look at her funny."

"She's tougher than she looks," she reassured. "I don't trust anyone else enough for this. Not anyone with any grace. Come on, I know you've always wanted a student to coddle."

Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Anko said, "What nonsense are you spewing now? I guess I'll give her a surprise exam one of these days. If you ask me, she'd be more suited to something besides combat."

"How much fighting do you do these days?" Kurenai asked rhetorically. "It's not like her father wouldn't let her do anything else."

Anko's expression sobered. "He's just too much. Rough life or not, where's that happy guy I used to know and tolerate?"

"He probably died when…Well, there isn't a need to drum up the past. You'll really give Hinata a chance?"

"I will," she promised. "Don't come crawling to me if she regrets asking for your help and quits being a ninja."

Kurenai gave a knowing smile and she could swear it said, 'Yeah, okay…softie.' Anko gulped down the rest of her tea and stood up quickly

"You're leaving?" Kurenai asked.

"Yeah, I have something to do today."

"How do you even go on as many missions as you do? You need to rest once and a while, Anko."

"It's not like that. I just have plans." At seeing Kurenai's skeptical gaze she reassured, "Really. I just have an idiot I have an arrangement with."

Anko could feel curious eyes boring into her as she left the dango shop.

* * *

Having sat down a while ago, Naruto noticed the massive crowd building up. Despite it being quite a while before the match began, there was still a sizable number of people waiting, sedentary, with an air of impatience. Sakura had decided to come with him to watch the match, much to his surprise. Apparently, everyone in Konoha had heard about this event. It left him scratching his head since he assumed Pervy Sage was out to stop all this.

Approaching his decided spot in the audience, Naruto saw several familiar people scattered around the stadium. Near the spot he would be watching however, only Kakashi-sensei, Neji, and Rock Lee were watching; Kakashi being the only one not seated. Naruto changed course to sit with his friends. He might have been surprised to see Lee, but then, it was only natural for him to be here. What surprised Naruto was that when Lee saw him, he gave a genuine smile.

Grinning energetically, Naruto gave a, "Hey, guys!" before plopping down in his seat.

Rock Lee clenched his fist and with a fire burning in his eyes responded, "Naruto-kun, it's good to see you taking an Interest in Guy-sensei's youthful display as Hokage!"

The words didn't seem to belong in the same sentence in that order as far as Naruto was concerned. It all seemed so surreal. Did that guy really deserve to be the Hokage? He always seemed so goofy, but he was kind of cool in a way…Maybe he would wait to see what kind of Hokage he was.

"Naruto!" Sakura repeated, finally getting his attention.

"Sakura-chan? What's wrong?"

"I had to explain to a lovely couple that we took their seats while you were over here dozing off!" Sakura said. "It's a good thing our original seats were closer to the front row. Geez."

Naruto rubbed his head sheepishly. "Sorry, sorry."

"Just say it once…!" Sakura mumbled, irritated by his response.

'_Ah, Sakura-chan is mad at me again,' _Naruto thought, chagrined.

Sakura's gaze softened. "I want to sit with them too, but at least think a little first."

"Right. My bad, Sakura-chan."

He knew she was coming from a good place, and the warmth that the knowledge brought replaced the great irritation that would normally accompany a scolding.

Suddenly, something struck him as strange. Kakashi was standing, but there were no empty seats.

"Kakashi-sensei, are you ever going to sit down? You don't even have a seat here."

Kakashi looked a little surprised by the observation. "I didn't think you'd pick up on that, Naruto," he said, ignoring the annoyed look on his student's face. "Well, notice how there are a few people in the audience not sitting down?"

Sakura, Naruto, and Lee looked as unsure where Kakashi was going with this as he was, but Neji looked almost bored by the observation.

Kakashi sharpened his gaze the way he did when he was revealing something dramatic. "We're all Jōnin, stationed here to protect the audience on Guy's orders. A Kage-level battle like this can get pretty crazy."

Sakura did not want to buy into her Sensei's theatrics, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't a little more anxious to see the fight now. "There's no way that weirdo is going to beat Tsunade-sama," she said confidently.

"Didn't you say something about that with Sasuke and Lee?" Naruto wondered aloud.

Sakura scrunched her face and prepared to retort when she realized that he had a point. She could feel an embarrassed blush cover her face as she mumbled, "I wasn't wrong…"

Lee looked over at her with complete sincerity. "Guy-Sensei is a master of Taijutsu like no other. I know he'll win!"

Naruto couldn't decide but his thoughts screeched to a halt once he realized something. "Taijutsu master? That might be kind of…"

Everyone noticed his mumblings and Sakura asked, "Naruto, what's wrong?"

Leaning back in his seat and rubbing his chin, Naruto responded. "There was something Pervy-Sage told me about her and Taijutsu. I think he said it was her biggest weakness."

Everyone looked curious at that. Surprisingly, Neji was the one who voiced everyone's thoughts. "And how exactly is that? I've heard Tenten speak of her enough to know that Tsunade's greatest strength in combat is her Taijutsu."

"Yeah, but she did get her butt kicked by that Kabuto guy who was pretty average. Oh, that's right! He said that 'anyone who was skilled enough to work around her raw strength would beat her in a fight.' That guy went underground and stuff with Earth Jutsu and that was all it took."

Kakashi looked down at the arena with curiosity. Surely, Tsunade knows her weaknesses better than anyone. Why challenge someone like Guy? Everyone did seem born with the inherent talent of underestimating him, but this situation was more than a little suspicious.

'_Just like I thought,' _Kakashi pondered. _'So that's what she's after. Maybe there's a bit more love for this village than she cares to admit.'_

"There's no way he'll win," Sakura said confidently. "I hear Tsunade-sama is the strongest kunoichi ever."

Kakashi grinned beneath his mask and leaned on the railing casually. "Well, one way or another it's bound to be interesting."

* * *

"Rising Phoenix!" Guy shouted, striking the air. The speed of the strike caused fire to gather around his fist, but it went out too early.

Disappointed, he landed easily on both feet. Despite trying to master his newest technique for some time, little progress was made. Not one to give up, he got into a fighting stance and cocked his fist and jumped into the air. Before he could throw a punch however, he was drawn out of his training by a sudden movement in the tree line.

Three kunai shot out of the tree line. Guy whipped three kunai of his own out of his pouch and threw them, deflecting the kunai in a fluid motion.

He grabbed a nearby branch and used it to swing himself. Landing on another branch, Guy readied himself for a fight, catching the panicked shuffling of a man who realized his attack had failed. Guy vanishing from sight, there was a gasp heard as Guy struck the man following him with bone-crushing force. A masked man in black robes fell from the tree clutching his now useless right arm and swearing at himself for getting caught.

He managed to land on his feet, but Guy was already waiting impatiently on the ground with his arms crossed. _'What the hell?' _the man thought to himself. _'As a shinobi, my skills should be considered elite. Why is this joke of a ninja outclassing me?'_

"You'll regret underestimating me!" His good arm flew into his pouch and he threw bombs on the ground. Thick plumes of white smoke emerged to disguise his retreat and single-handed hand signs.

Guy appeared suddenly, charging from the side he was retreating to. "Fast!" he managed to say before Guy met him in the air, striking out with his leg.

He took the blow to his chest, but he managed to finish his hand signs. "Not fast enough. Fire Style: Four, Extend!"

Guy was surprised to see an intense flame come out of his fingers as he made a sweeping motion. Guy contorted his body and most of the flames missed him. He hit the ground and rolled to put out what little fire managed to catch on his clothes.

"Whoa! I've never seen that one!" Guy complimented, looking at the big, fiery cut in the ground nearby. "But even more so..." He looked back at the would-be assassin's still blazing fingers. "The jutsu is still active. That's pretty dangerous."

Despite being complimented, he looked angrier than ever. "Why are you so nonchalant! I know all about you! You can't use any Ninjutsu! It just so happens that I am one of the best in that field. Even with one arm, I'll turn you into ash."

Guy scratched his head. "You're saying that like it's to your advantage…You know, The whole point was to train hard enough to make that disadvantage meaningless. In any case, it isn't like I _can't _do Ninjutsu. I'm just…really not good at it."

"I don't give a shit about your semantics! Just roll over and die!" He made another sweeping motion and a small wave of fire passed over Guy's head as he ducked under it and charged.

Guy cocked his fist and the man smirked. "Fire Style: Five!" An intense flame engulfed his open palm as swiped at Guy's incoming hand. Guy stopped his attack and swept the man's feet out from under him, but the man flipped and landed on his good hand. "Fire Style: Flame Spread!"

The fire that was covering his hand expanded into a quick sphere, burning the ground around him, but Guy had already backed off. "You are a lot more trouble than I expected," Guy admitted. "It's impressive how you can turn one Jutsu into similar Jutsu with no hand signs. I'm starting to wish we could have battled like this before I damaged your arm."

He flipped back up to his feet. "You still aren't taking this seriously? Let's see how long that lasts!" He performed a series of one-handed hand signs and his entire fist was encased in flame. "Fire Style: Flame Fist!" It was his trump card. Enough to punch a molten hole through steel.

Guy's mouth gaped and the man couldn't help but smirk. He dashed at their new 'Hokage' at speed he hadn't utilized yet. "Hah!" he screamed at the man who would have the shortest term as Hokage in Konoha history. He raised his fist back, ready to drive it through Guy's heart.

Suddenly, the air around him changed, Guy's skin turned reddish, and he disappeared in a flurry of wind. Bewildered when his fist met nothing but air, he gasped and looked around. "All the Anbu are gone! What the hell!?"

His heart skipped in terror when he saw Guy standing a way's away, punching a training dummy into pieces. "AHHH! That's my move! Someone came up with it already!?"

Shaking, the man's fire began dissipating from lack of concentration, his mind completely blank. Then, he shakily began backing up. "What the hell…? What kind of speed was that?"

Guy looked right at him. "I'll just have to get more creative with it later and see how mine stacks up!"

He stopped backing up. If he backed down now, his life was forfeit anyway. He could not afford to run, lose, or surrender. The fire reignited brighter than ever, and he gave a final desperate charge.

Guy widened his stance and pulled his fist all the way back. The air around him seemed to shift slightly before he also charged, fist beginning to light aflame.

They met at the point directly between them and called out "Rising Phoenix!" " Flame fist!"

Guy's flaming fist met the man's and the assassin's flame was immediately extinguished with a sickening crack. Guy kicked him backwards and jumped to meet him mid-air. "Falling Phoenix!" His fist dug into the man's stomach and drove him into the ground followed by a trail of flame vaguely in the shape of a bird, cracking the ground massively as he made an indent in the earth. He gasped and choked on his own blood.

Guy skidded across the ground before turning and giving a thumbs-up. "Nice fight!"

"Sorry for the rough treatment, but that arm should heal up just fine, and you other injuries aren't lethal, I think Now, why don't you tell me why you're following me. And while you're at it, why don't you tell me why my Anbu guard seems to have taken the day off."

He suppressed the massive pain and looked at the unwelcome presence of another Jōnin carrying a large scroll. "Unbelievable," he muttered to himself.

"Anko-san," Guy said with a hint of surprise.

"I was wondering when you would notice someone was following you. Impressive fight, tough I only caught the end there," she said before grinning widely and viciously. "Now then, it's time for our fiend to get introduced to my other friend at T and I. That is Torture and Interrogation, by the way. But you probably knew that, looking like an Anbu and all."

The man decided to cut his losses before he was detained and swallowed the capsule he had in his mouth. Hearing Anko let out a frustrated "damnit," a snake flew from Anko's sleeve and dove down in his mouth to retrieve the capsule. Unfortunately, she was too late, the man dying in mere seconds as Anko tried to think of a way to save him. Despite her efforts, the man let out a final breath.

Guy and Anko sourly stood over the fresh corpse and Anko shrugged. "It's times like this I wish I was more serious about medical ninjustsu." She unfurled the massive scroll she was carrying and used it to seal the body. "What the heck were you doing out here? Trying to perfect that crazy fire move before the fateful match?"

"Nothing like that," Guy answered. "I decided that as the Hokage I needed to get even stronger. That move will become the symbol of my resolve!"

"I thought you sucked at Ninjutsu, by the way?"

"Ah, that was pure Taijutsu! I have to unlock the first gate to use it though!"

"Just Taijutsu…? You really are the Green Beast of Konoha, I guess."

Guy rubbed his neck. "Anko-san, thank you for the help."

Looking surprised for a moment, Anko shrugged again. "Whatever. It isn't like I can sit back while my Hokage gets assassinated, right?"

Guy gave a wide smile. "No, that's exactly what you could have done. You followed me because you were worried, didn't you? You're so nice, Anko-san."

Blushing, unused to praise, especially of that nature, Anko said, "Nice? Are you insane? You just saw me threaten a dying man with torture. I'm carrying around a scroll I just used to seal a body like it was an average day."

"Yeah, but…How should I put this? It's your smile!"

Trying to remember how she smiled, she mimicked her earlier vicious grin. "Like this?" she said jokingly.

Guy hit his palm. "That's it. You always have an innocent, youthful smile!"

As incredulity overwhelmed her, her smile quickly dropped. "Innocent…? How the hell do you get innocence out of that?"

Guy let out a booming laugh. "That's just how it is! Besides, you helped me out, so my suspicions are confirmed." He stuck his finger high into the air before bringing it down dramatically, pointing at her. "You are a nice person!"

Stunned, Anko quickly recovered. "How do you know I don't want something from my new Hokage?"

Guy shook his head. "You can't fool my instincts, Anko-san. In fact, I have such a good feeling about you now that I must ask you a question."

This was why she never talked to Guy. He never did or said anything she expected, and she didn't like it. Feeling sufficiently shielded from his craziness, she nodded. "Let's hear it."

Guy took in a breath of air, possibly preparing for the weight of what he would say. "Please be my left hand!"

It may be impossible, Anko noted, to prepare oneself for what Might Guy will say. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Ah, I might need to explain a bit. You see, a Hokage can't do anything alone…That is to say, he needs people he can trust. I know that Shikaku trusts you and I trust him!"

"So, you want me to,,,You have to know that won't fly," Anko said. Guy looked curious but said nothing.

"Look…First of all, the council isn't going to be happy about you bringing around some random person and acting like they're more important. Second, I'm not exactly high on the list of prestigious people. The village is already acting like a 'nobody' like you being Hokage is an affront to the position. And finally, even among us destitute clan-less, I'm particularly disliked. Haven't you heard the tales of the evil snake lady that eats children and causes misfortune wherever she goes?"

She almost felt bad giving him a dose of reality like that, but what can you do?

Guy looked almost thoughtful before he broke into a grin. "Nope, none of that matters!"

"Are you that dense? I hope you realize you aren't exactly the most popular Hokage to walk Konoha soil. I'll be frank; you're the most unpopular by a wide margin. If you start pissing people off even more, you'll have a rebellion on your hands. Hell, you already had an assassination attempt. That has to be a record."

Guy never faltered. "That's exactly why I need someone like you on my side. The more reliable allies I have the better!"

"If you consider someone with a reputation like mine a reliable ally 'cause of one deed, you're too far gone," she criticized harshly.

Guy dropped his smile and adopted a more serious look. "That's not it. You've always been my ally. Even now, the way you criticize me is filled with support." He adopted a thinking pose. "Have you considered being a teacher at the academy?"

"Teacher…?" Anko had nothing more to say. There was only one conclusion that she could arrive at. It was a realization that all people eventually reached about Might Guy, usually more than once. "You're completely insane."

"Actually, it was pretty tough, but I think I know your secret position in this village. Don't worry, I'm not going to publicly say we're close allies, yet. You need to be obscure, right?"

Anko's eyes narrowed dangerously. "And just what do you think you know?"

"Well, it was Shikaku who pointed me in the right direction. It took a long time for me to figure it out…You led a team of Anbu to chase Orochimaru, you take an obscene amount of missions, but you're not well-known, and all of those missions are classified and still have no information for people with authorization to read them."

Anko grew increasingly wide-eyed. "How much of this did Shikaku tell you?"

He looked a little embarrassed. "Actually, pretty much all of it. If I had to guess…You're actually at the top of Law Enforcement!"

"Whoa, that's pretty accurate," she said flippantly.

"What? Why aren't you more shocked or impressed?" he questioned.

"Well, it is kinda to be expected with Shikaku leading you by the nose and all. This seems more like a message from Shikaku to me." A message that read 'I trust this guy with top-secret information.'

"Ehhhh? I was looking for you all morning to be a glorified messenger?" he sulked.

"Chin up. It's an important message, if surprising. Ever since the police were disbanded, the Genin Corps did most of the policing, I do most of the policing though, secretly mind you. It's easy for someone with a reputation like mine to blend into seedy places."

Guy looked serious. "So, you're trusting me with this information because you want to be my ally?"

"Well, Shikaku trusts you a lot and I trust him…I guess so?" she admitted reluctantly.

Flashing a thumbs-up, Guy turned to leave. "I leave you to take care of the body. This is the first task as my trusted ally. I'm off to fight Tsunade and win in my own way. I'll capture the hearts of Konoha people everywhere with Tsunade-san's help!"

Snapping out of her trance, Anko said, "Wait!"

Curious, Guy stopped and turned around, letting out a "Hmm?"

"…Good luck."

Guy's smile was almost blinding and his wink disturbed her slightly. He took off and Anko wondered if she should have said something about his singed clothes and disheveled appearance. "Nah, the match is going to start any minute now." She stared down the road where he disappeared. "What was that wink about? He couldn't have been…Nah." She shivered from the almost-thought. "I'm thinking about taking a student, and I'm getting winked at by Might Guy. When did my life get away from me, I wonder? Wait, isn't this all because he got elected? So, it's Kakashi's fault!"

Somewhere in a Konoha stadium, a white-haired Jōnin sneezed and had a bad feeling.

**Author's Note: So, there it is! I would absolutely love to hear what you think! I'd like to think my writing has improved in the last year.**

**If you are wondering, yes, Guy can switch to Gates Mode in seconds. In the fight against Kisame he went to the Sixth Gate in a second or two with no build-up. In the anime, it was A LOT longer. I really hope you like the direction I have taken Anko. Yes, she will be Hinata's precious Sensei. It will make a lot more sense as the story goes on. I have pretty much got an idea of how the whole story will go now. Feel free to ask if you have a question. With that said, Adieu!**


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